Enjoy the Festival of Cultures
Tyler Gaines, staff writer
Festival of Cultures has been a local event in the Charlottesville community since 2004. This year would mark the 15th anniversary of Festival of Cultures. This event is brought to us with the help of the Thomas Jefferson Adult and Career Education (TJACE) Program at PVCC.
According to Zakira Beasley, an ESOL teacher at the Charlottesville Adult Learning Center and a current organizer of the event, the purpose of this event is to celebrate the cultural and linguistic diversity in the community, increase awareness of that diversity in a respectful environment, provide an opportunity for building a bridge of communication between newcomers and established residents in the area, and showcase the contributions of newcomers to our community.
Beasley said, “The Festival has grown over the years to encompass more than 30 cultures through music and dance performances, cultural exhibits and food. Attendance has also grown to over 2,500 attendees, multiplying opportunities for neighbors to meet each other and learn from each other. When we look in our own community and around the world, we can see so many problems. The Festival is an opportunity to celebrate how, when we get to know each other, we can move beyond fear to the possibility of understanding.”
Festival of Cultures takes place May 12. If you have free time this summer, come out to dance, try different foods, and experience what cultural diversity looks like.
